Coplay edges Fleetwings for Tri-County title

By Steve Smull
Special to The Morning Call

 

Mike Bortz scored all the way from first base on a single by J.R. Graver with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the Coplay Reds to a thrilling 5-4 victory over the Woodlawn Fleetwings in Game 5 of the Tri-County League finals to clinch the league championship.

The decisive inning started out innocently enough when with two outs, Bortz worked a walk after falling behind 1-2 in the count. Graver then lofted what appeared to be an innocent popup about 20 feet into the outfield between first and second. But after a miscommunication between fielders, the ball fell for a single and by the time it was picked up, a hustling Bortz was being waved home. He was safe on a close play, giving manager Shawn Andrews his third championship in four years (and one in his inaugural season as manager of Coplay).

''It makes you feel good when you see a player at first base run that hard on a routine pop fly, '' Andrews said as he was being doused with champagne.

''That's what we have been preaching all year long and to see it actually come into play and to know that the players were listening and to have us win the championship on that play — nothing can mean any more than that. It was an incredible ending to the game.''

Jeremy Arner, the player/manager for the Fleetwings (31-17), tipped his cap to Coplay (33-14-1) for a great series.

''They deserved to win,'' he said. ''They played well the entire series and got good pitching and timely hitting.''

The Fleetwings lost in the finals for the second straight season and for the third time in their eight-year history. They have made the playoffs all eight seasons.

''It is disappointing for us because we set our standards high here, so when we don't make it to the top, we are not happy,'' Arner said.

Graver was 4-for-4 with three RBIs for Coplay.

Dan Hemberger was 3-for-3, and Ben Swatsky and Matt Marcks both went 2-for-5 and Matt Godusky knocked in three runs for the Fleetwings.


Woodlawn   200 011 00 — 4 12 1

Coplay         100 201 01 — 5  9  2


Palos, Wiltrout (5) and Arner. Giovannoli, Medina (5), Leslie (8) and Calarco. W - Leslie, L- Wiltrout.

From The Morning Call -- August 19, 2006

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